Do you crave an out-of-the-country adventure but do not have the means to do so? Join the club… Fortunately for us Coloradans, adventure abounds all around, including the Great Sand Dunes, which has been named one of the “18 Places Across America That’ll Make You Feel Like You’ve Left The Country (No Passport Required)” — and we’ve long known it to be one of the greatest natural wonders in the US.

Located northeast of Alamosa, the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is an incredible 30-square-mile oasis that features a whopping 5 billion cubic meters of soft sand and one of the most dramatic landscapes in the state.
Flickr/enjoiskate8
As per Buzzfeed, "One of the most unique landscapes in the US, you could easily imagine you're in the middle of the Sahara when you visit Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado," noting its changing colors throughout the morning, afternoon, and night.
Flickr/Patrick Emerson
Created as the Great Sand Dunes National Monument in 1932 and changed in 2004 to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, there is plenty to see and do around the area, the most popular of which are hiking, sledding, and sandboarding.
Flickr/Keith Burton

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Surprisingly, the Great Sand Dunes is not only home to sand but also water, with the popular Medano Creek running late spring through mid-summer.
Flickr/Christian Collins
In addition to Colorado's Sand Dunes, Buzzfeed also mentioned Mackinac Island, Michigan; Leavenworth, Washington; and Solvang, California (pictured).
Dan Lindsay/Wikimedia Commons
Was this picture taken in Colorado or at an exotic Arabian location? You tell us!
Flickr/Jasper Nance
To learn more about the stunning Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, please visit the National Park Service's website.
Flickr/PinkFloydFanSince1986

Do you have a favorite attraction that you would like to see featured on Only in Colorado? Nominate it here! For even more places that look like they don’t belong in Colorado, check out these 10 Places In Colorado That’ll Make You Swear You’re On Another Planet.

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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, USA